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No. 12,671. PATENTED APR. 10, 1855.

' T. 0. OONNOLLY. METHOD OF TAKING AND RECORDING VOTES IN LEGISLATIV'EBODIES.

Jay-i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

THOMAS C. CONNOLLY, OF \VASHINGTON; DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MACHINE FOB. RECORDING VOTES IN LEGISLATIVE BODIES.

- Specification of Letters Patent No. 12,671, dated April 10, 1855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. CONNOLLY, of the cityof lVashington, county of VVashington, and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Method of Taking and Recording Votes in Legislative and other Deliberative Bodies; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the same, reference being had to the accoi'npanying drawings, making a part thereof, in which- Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a section of a hall or room, with the apparatus in connection with the desks to be occupied by the body. Fig. 2, represents a vertical section through one of the desks, to show the method of connecting the knob with the registering or recording apparatus. Fig. 3, represents one of the forked arms or levers detached from the apparatus, and also one of the slides, and one of the stereotypes or forms, which are moved by said lever.

Similar letters where they occur in the several figures denote like parts.

The nature of my invention consists in the arrangement of the names of all persons on titled to vote upon the face of a table or surface in view of the body-the positions of which names are to be changed at the will of the persons respectively whom they represent, by means of cords, wires, levers, pulleys, &c., communicating from the desks or tables of such persons. And also, in the simultaneous arrangement, in the same man ner, and by the same agency of types, or stereotyped -or' engraved pieces, containing the same series or set' of names, from which impressions are to be taken by means of a printing press, or other apparatus. And also, in so arranging the types or pieces in a galley, as that they may be readily moved therein by the members at their respective desks or seats, and then locked or otherwise secured therein, so that impressions can be taken therefrom as will be described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the draw in s.

it A, &c., represent a series of desks occupied by the persons entitled to vote in the body, and 0, represents the seat or desk of the presiding officer. Immediately in rear of the seat C, so as to be in full view of the members of the body, though not in view of the entire series.

the speaker or presiding officer, is arranged on a suitable frame, D, which has open panels a, a a &c. therein, the names or a portion of the names of the members of the body entitled to vote. This frame D, has three vertical divisions, over the center one of which may be inscribed the Word Members, over an unoccupied space of like dimensions to the left, is to be inscribed the word Yeas. Over a similar space to the right is to be inscribed the word Nays. The names of the members may be arranged in their allotted space alphabetically or otherwise, as may be desired.

The panels I) (see Fig. 3) ,upon which the names of the members are inscribed, are so made, as to slide into the space to the right or left on the frame D, so as to stand arranged under the Yeas or Nays column, as the person whom they represent may have voted. Or instead of sliding the panels containing the names to the right or left, the same object may be attained, by uncovering the names in the respective columns in which they may vote.

Each desk or seat is provided with a knob 0, the moving of which to the right or left records the vote of the occupant. These knobs are on the tops of levers d, (see Fig. 2,) which are pivoted at e, and extend down below the floor of the hall or room. On the lower ends of these levers (Z, are arranged T- shaped bell cranks to each arm of which are connected cords or wires f, one of which cords or wires, is fastened to the right hand side of its respective lever 71, and the other one to the left hand side of the lever, (asseen in red lines in Fig. 1, and more distinctly in Fig. 3), so that as the knob may be pushed to the left or the right, it carries the name which it represents to the left or the right where it stands under the Yea or Nay column, as the member may have voted. At the points where the cords or wires alter their directions, "bell cranks or pulleys may be used in a manner well known, and need not be specially described.

The levers 2', are pivoted by a rod 9 (Fig. 1,) passing through a hole h (Fig. 3,) in And that end of the lever 2', which moves the panel 6, with the name of the member inscribed on it, is slotted, so as to straddle a pin 0, in the back of said panel, andas the lever i, is vibrated through the medium of the knob, cranks, cords, &c., it also traverses said panel to the left or right. Before taking a vote, the names of the members are all arranged in the center column, and after" the vote is taken, they stand in the Aye and Nay columns, as each member may have voted, and if essential, by a contrivance at the speakers desk the Whole tablet of names as they stand, may be locked or fastened, so that no changes can be made after once voting and notice is given that the voting is to be closed.

At a suitable distance in the rear of the frame D, containing the names, a galley or small frame E is placed, containing all the names inscribed upon the large frame, in types, stereotypes, engraved blocks, or other substance from which the names may be printed. Everything in the galley, Will be of course, the reverse of What is exhibited on the large frame, in order that impressions from it may correspond with the record in the frame. In Fig. 3, is represents, the sterotype or plate containing the name of one member, and the lever 2', is so forked at that end of it next the said plate, as to span the plate, and as said lever is vibrated by the means heretofore described, it moves the plate is in the reverse direction from that of the panel Z), but at the same time arranges it in the galley so that impressions taken from it Will correspond with the large frame or tablet. The series of plates is, in the galley are provided with three holes Z, Z, Z, (Fig. 3) Which Whether the said plates be moved to the right or left, or be in the center of the galley, will all come one immediately over the line of the other, so that a pin or bolt may be passed through the galley and the plates, and be locked or secured so as not to admit of alteration, and the galley taken to a printing press of any kind, and any number of impressions struck off; and thus the members and reportersof the body, may in a few moments after each vote is taken, have a printed copy of the vote.

It Will be perceived that the galley, and the plates in it have no rigid connection With the apparatus, and it can readily be removed, and replaced by another, so that no delay need occur in taking and recording the ayes and nays of any body. The frame with its panels of names, may by a device such as is used in hotel registers, by the turning of a single crank, instantly replace in the center column, or conceal as the case may be, the names of the members, and be ready for a repetition of the operation. I thus by a simple contrivance take and record the votes of any legislative or deliberative body, so that each member can see the record of the votes; and by similar means set up a form of types in a galley, that may have any number of impressions struck from it, and thus have a temporary and permanent record of the votes taken, Which cannot by any means differ, as one must record exactly With the other.

I-Iaving thus fully described the nature of my invention, I Would state that the recording of votes by a system of knobs, bell pulls, cranks, and Wires has been used and Well known. These I do not claim, but

What I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The moving of the slides containing the members names into columns of yeas and nays, this arrangement being one that is Well calculated for the convenient display of the vote to all the members of the body voting substantially in the manner described.

2. I also claim the arranging of a series of types, sterotypes or plates in a galley, by a system of levers, cords, Wires &c, extending from each desk or seat, to said galley, so that any number of impressions, of the exact record of the vote taken, may be instantly printed or struck off.

3. I also claim the so arranging in a galley, of a series of types, stereotypes or plates, as that they may be readily moved therein to the left or right, and instantly locked into a form, from which printed impressions may be taken by any of the Well known means.

THOMAS C. CONNOLLY.

Witnesses A. B. STOUGHTON, THOMAS H. UnrrnRMAN. 

